Second Installment of visual art exhibition to open April 20, 2013
at the Ulster Performing Arts Center and run through May 12

Featuring works by 25 nationally and internationally recognized artists

Kingston, New York – The unprecedented exhibition at UPAC will include works by 25 renowned artists from the Hudson Valley, New York City, and other locations in the U.S. The exhibition has been curated by Daniel Mason.

The exhibition will spotlight UPAC’s role as the arts anchor of the City of Kingston by transforming the theater into a gallery space for three weeks. Outstanding works of art will be on display all throughout the theater including over the stage and in the auditorium, lobbies, and green room. UPAC’s temporary gallery role, and the entire comedy festival, will underscore the importance of the arts to the community. It will also highlight the theater’s contributions to the cultural tourism industry in the Hudson Valley.

Serious Laughs is the spring kick-off of the 4 Seasons of the Hudson Valley Festival, the Bardavon's celebration of the arts and culture of the Mid-Hudson Valley, Made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council and the New York State Legislature.

New this year, the Festival is a partnership between the Bardavon and a host of Hudson Valley community organizations. Its purpose is to help revitalize the two urban centers and waterfronts of Poughkeepsie and Kingston, support and promote regional tourism, and illuminate the contributions that the arts make year-round to the quality of life in the Mid-Hudson Valley.

The selected weekends will coincide with each season, beginning with spring and summer 2013 in Kingston, and continuing with fall and winter in Poughkeepsie. Each season will take on a specific theme: comedy (spring); American music, heritage, independence, history (summer); harvest and colors of fall (fall); and Celebration of Lights and the holidays (winter). There will be dozens of performances, exhibits, and events in the neighborhoods, parks, riverfronts, businesses, and community centers of both cities. One or more high-profile performances will be presented at the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie, UPAC in Kingston, and community parks and neighborhoods.

The Bardavon 1869 Opera House, Inc. (the Bardavon) is a New York State nonprofit corporation that owns and operates two historic theaters – the 944-seat namesake theater in Poughkeepsie and 1510-seat Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC) in Kingston – and the region’s premiere orchestra, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic (the HVP). It presents top-notch music, dance, theater, and classic films for diverse audiences in both its venues; stages free annual outdoor events in local communities; and partners with area schools to offer unique arts-based learning experiences. The Bardavon also continues to restore and preserve its historic theaters for today’s audiences and future generations to enjoy. Please visit http://www.bardavon.org.